Head for an oral care implement and oral care implement

Abstract

A head for an oral-care implement comprises a number of colored filaments extending from a mounting surface of the head and being grouped together to define an initial color pattern. The colored filaments comprise at least a first and a second type of filament, wherein the types of filaments differ in color-changing characteristics over a pre-defined period of time, the pre-defined period of time being the same for the first and the second type of filament so that the initial color pattern changes color characteristics over at least a first pre-defined period of time to a first color pattern, the first color pattern being different form the initial color pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A head for an oral-care implement, the head comprising:
 a plurality of colored filaments extending from a mounting surface of the head and grouped together to define an initial color pattern,   the plurality of colored filaments comprising at least a first type of filament having an initial color and a second type of filament having an initial color, wherein said first and second types of filament differ from one another in their respective color-changing characteristics over a pre-defined period of time,   wherein the pre-defined period of time is the same for the first type of filament and the second type of filament, so that the initial color pattern changes its color characteristics over at least a first pre-defined period of time to a first color pattern that is different form the initial color pattern,   wherein the initial color of the first type of filament differs from the initial color of the second type of filament,   wherein each of the first type of filament and the second type of filament changes its initial color to a first color, respectively, and   wherein the first color of the first type of filament differs from the first color of the second type of filament.   
     
     
         2 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein the head comprises at least a third type of filament having an initial color contributing to the initial color pattern. 
     
     
         3 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the third type of filament changes its initial color to a first color, and wherein the first color of the third type of filament differs from at least one of the first color of the first type of filament and the first color of the second type of filament. 
     
     
         4 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the initial color of the third type of filament differs from at least one of the initial color of the first type of filament and the initial color of the second type of filament. 
     
     
         5 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the third type of filament changes its initial color to a first color, wherein the first color of the third type of filament is substantially the same as the first color of at least one of the first type of filament and the first color of the second type of filament. 
     
     
         6 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first type of filament and the second type of filament is a monofilament comprising polyamide and a water-soluble dye colorant leaching over a pre-defined period of time in response to increased use of the filament, thereby changing the color from an initial color to at least one of a second color and a third color. 
     
     
         7 . The head of  claim 6 , wherein the dye is provided in a colored outer region extending inwardly into a portion of the filament's cross-sectional area for a distance of about 30% or less of the radius of the filament. 
     
     
         8 . The head of  claim 7 , wherein the colored outer region extends for a distance of about 20% or less of the radius of the filament. 
     
     
         9 . The head of  claim 8 , wherein the colored outer region extends for a distance of about 10% or less of the radius of the filament. 
     
     
         10 . The head of  claim 6 , wherein the monofilament is dyed with a combination of dyes comprising a base material dye and a water-soluble indicator dye, each dye having a color intensity with different resistance to change in response to wear and use. 
     
     
         11 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first type of filament and the second type of filament is a core-shell type indicator filament comprising an inner colored core region and an outer colored shell region, wherein the color of the inner core region is different from the color of the outer shell region, and wherein the filament changes its color over a pre-defined period of time under influence of at least one of abrasion and degradation. 
     
     
         12 . The head of  claim 11 , wherein the core-shell type indicator filament is a coextruded filament. 
     
     
         13 . An oral-care implement comprising the head according to  claim 1 .